One Book Blitz is just around the corner

One Book Blitz is just around the corner 

SHANON ADAME 

shanona@thedailytimes.com 

October 23, 2025

With Halloween next week and the holidays fast approaching, One Book Blitz is just around the corner with a launch date of Feb. 2. 

On Wednesday afternoon, Maryville City Schools hosted a luncheon to thank the sponsors who helped make One Book Blitz happen. 

One Book Blitz is a county- wide effort between Maryville City Schools, Alcoa City Schools and Blount County Schools to promote reading and literacy to students. 

Each year, all students in kindergarten through fifth grade receive a copy of that year’s book, along with a few goodies from local businesses, such as meals from Chick-fil-A and highlighters from Newell Brands. They also receive a calendar, which everyone follows along, chapter by chapter. 

Last school year, students learned all about amphibians with “Og the Frog.” This school year’s book? It’s still a mystery, and students will have to wait for the reveal in February to see what reading adventure they will be embarking on. 

One Book Blitz also hosts a scavenger hunt for students, where participating companies hide items related to the book in their businesses for children to find. 

Last year, businesses like Neighborly Books and Southern Grace Coffee Co. hid small toy frogs for students to find. The schools also go big with decorations and themed activities for the students. For “Og the Frog,” teachers and faculty dressed in costumes and decorated their hallways. Schools held festive kick-off days to reveal the title of the book. 

At the luncheon on Wednesday, a few students spoke about their experiences with OBB. 

Henry, a student with Maryville City Schools, said he really enjoyed the kickoff. 

“It was really cool to see the frog walk in,” he said. 

Alcoa student Abby also had good things to say about OBB. “What I really like about One Book Blitz is that we read it together as a county,” she said. 

She said that because each school district reads along with the same book, she is able to talk with friends in other schools about it. 

Maryville City Schools Communications Coordinator Maria Greene said planning for the OBB is a year-long event that begins almost immediately following the conclusion of the previous year’s event. 

She walked the attendees through a draft of the calendar and briefly discussed upcoming events for next year’s book before thanking them for their involvement. 

“It takes a whole community, and you all are representative of that, and we’re so grateful,” she said.